The automatic car wash industry has grown many fold over in the last 10 years. Most car owners at one time or another have had their car put through an automatic car wash. One of the most vulnerable parts of the automatic car wash apparatus are the brushes that clean the tires. Prior to my invention the brush elements were attached to a core element that was press fit over a keyed shaft. The keyed shaft was positioned through a bearing at each of its ends. The major problem was when it came time to replace the brushes. The changing of brushes necessitated the removal of the shaft from the bearings with its attached core and brush elements. The removal of the shaft from the bearings often resulted in damage to the bearings because of the amount of rust accumulated from the constant exposure to soapy water. The core, when attempted to be slid off the shaft, caused damage to the shaft and at times the shaft broke requiring a new keyed shaft. The new shaft always had to be keyed for or welded to the core being used because the shaft and core had to be locked together for positive rotation of the brushes.
There is a need in the automatic car wash industry for an apparatus that would enable the brush elements to be easily changed without removing the shaft from its retainer bearings thereby avoiding damage to the bearings and the shaft. My invention enables a person to change the brush elements in a fraction of the time it took before, in most situations, approximately 10 minutes. The core with its attached brushes does not require a key slot in the shaft; thus eliminating an expensive milling operation. Further, the core can be adapted to fit shafts of various diameters saving time, material, and money.
I am not aware of any device or apparatus that will enable one to quickly and efficiently change the brush elements for a tire cleaning apparatus without first removing the shaft from its bearings. My tire cleaning apparatus with its split end adapters and split core does not require a keyed shaft and does not affect or disturb the bearings through which the shaft passes. The adapter enables the shaft to pass therethrough while providing means for receiving the split core element with its attached brushes or filaments. To change the worn out brushes on the shaft, the adapter is removed enabling the core and its brushes to be easily lifted from the shaft. New brush elements may be attached to the existing core or a new core and brushes may be used. The old core with new brushes or a new core and brushes is repositioned on the shaft and coupled to the split end adapters. The split end adapters are connected together to frictionally engage the shaft.
In addition to being used as a tire cleaning apparatus my invention can be used on other devices that incorporate rotating brushes or filaments such as for cleaning fruits and vegetables, floor sweepers and polishers, etc.